1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display device in which a plasma display panel is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
A plasma display device is constructed by accommodating a plasma display panel module (PDP module) in a case. The PDP module is constituted of a plasma display panel (hereinafter, also referred to as PDP), a base chassis supporting the PDP, and a circuit board for driving the PDP. The PDP module is fixed to the case in a predetermined position by fixing the base chassis to installation parts in the case. A front surface of the case has an opening part at a position facing an image display surface of the PDP. The PDP is mainly made of glass, and weak to impact such as an external force. Accordingly, protection glass for protecting the PDP is attached to the opening part.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-324942 discloses a base chassis having a structure to disperse stress for alleviating impact applied to the PDP from a rear surface of the case. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-069888 discloses a technique to form installation parts on a periphery of a base chassis for fixing the base chassis to the case. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-115381 discloses a technique to fix a base chassis to a case by installation members arranged on four corners of the base chassis.
In recent years, in order to reduce the weight and cost of a plasma display device, there is proposed a plasma display device in which the protection glass on a front surface of the case is removed and the image display surface of the PDP is exposed directly via the opening part of the case. In this case, the display surface of the PDP receives impact such as an external force directly.
However, a conventional plasma display device with the display surface of the PDP protected by the protection glass does not have a structure to absorb an external force applied to the display surface. Therefore, when the PDP and the base chassis of the plasma display device without the protection glass is given stress by an external force (pushing force) applied to the display surface, the stress concentrates to a surrounding part of the PDP close to installation parts, and may cause breakage thereof.